If you preorder Battlefield 3 at one of two retailers in the UK, you'll …

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There has been little reason to hide our enthusiasm for the upcoming Battlefield 3, especially considering the nearly sublime state of the game at this year's E3. EA has done everything right with making sure Battlefield 3 is going to be a hit with PC gamers... until now. Over the weekend the "Physical Warfare Pack," was announced, and fans are annoyed at the idea of being forced to buy a retail product at a brick-and-mortar store in order to access some of the game's weapons.

Right now this promotion has only been announced for the UK. If you preorder the game at GAME and Gamestation locations, you gain access to the extra equipment on the first day of release. Here's how EA described the content:

Players can storm the battlefield armed with powerful weapons and items only available in the Physical Warfare Pack including the Type 88 light machine gun with bipod for superior firepower and total zone control, the SKS sniper rifle flash suppressor that provides increased stealth abilities for Recon soldiers, and the lethal armour-piercing flechette ammo for the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun that is sure to tear through anything in its path. Also included is day one access to the highly versatile DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun itself.

While it's possible this content could be released as a for-pay content pack for the game, the idea of being forced to pay early through select retailers for weapons that don't need to be unlocked and will represent a clear advantage on the first day of release isn't sitting well with anyone. Gaming forums, Twitter, and my own inbox have been filled with people complaining about this promotion, especially given many were hoping to buy via Steam or other digital distribution services.

We'll see if EA decides to reverse this decision, as the company has flip-flopped on this sort of promotion in the past. Retailer-specific content is one of the more customer-hostile trends in modern gaming, and as it stands now, this promotion will create a group of players with a clear advantage over everyone else. Let's hope EA sees the light.